Historically, it has offered some pretty good parental (not just maternity) leave benefits for employees working 20 or more hours a week but who still might not meet FMLA's standard for unpaid leave. Now, the company has upgraded its policy from a grande to a venti.

At the moment, benefits-eligible employees who are giving birth are given six weeks of paid leave at 67 percent of average pay, but as of October 1, those benefits will be expanded. Starbucks announced the new policy this week, and once it's in place, birth mothers will be given six weeks at 100 percent of their average pay and followed by the federally mandated 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Yep—full pay for six weeks, in addition to the federally mandated unpaid 12 weeks of leave.

But that's just for employees who work in the stores: Moms who give birth and who work out of the store (say, as district managers) will be offered 18 weeks of leave at full pay. And it also gets sweeter for parents who didn't physically give birth in that employment category, who will receive 12 weeks of paid leave.

Pretty great, right? After all, all new parents alike deserve paid time with their little ones during those crucial early weeks. And Starbucks isn't the only one expanding their policies: We have a list of other companies doing great things for new parents. Companies have been introducing these policies in an effort to retain employees while unemployment is low, but our fingers are crossed it'll become federal policy sooner rather than later.